IASbaba ’60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2016 ENVIRONMENT & CURRENT AFFAIRS [DAY 30]

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IASbaba ’60 Day Plan’ – Prelims Test 2016 [Day 30]

Q.1) One of the most accepted definitions of sustainable development is “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” This definition is given by which of the following commissions?

a) World Commission on Environment and Development

b) Environment and energy commission

c) European Commission on environment

d) Sustainable and Legacy Commission

Q.2) Consider the following statements:

1. Agenda 21 is a binding action plan of the United Nations with regard to Sustainable Development.
2. It is a product of Earth Summit held at Rio de Jeneiro in 1992.
3. ‘21’ in Agenda 21 refers to 21 points of the document that has been pledged for sustainable development.

Which of the above statements are incorrect?

a) 1 and 2

b) 2 and 3

c) 1 and 3

d) None of the above

Q.3) Heat from the earth can be used as an energy source in many ways, from large and complex power stations to small and relatively simple pumping systems. This heat energy is known as geothermal energy. Consider the following statements regarding geo thermal energy:

1. The predominant source of the Earth’s heat is the gradual decay of radioactive isotopes.
2. It has extensive global distribution and it is accessible in both developed as well as under developed nations.
3. It has low emission of sulphur, CO2 and other greenhouse gases.
4. It is independent of external supply and demand effects and fluctuations in exchange rates.

Which of the above statements are correct?

a) 1,2 and 3

b) 2,3 and 4

c) 1,2 and 4

d) All of the above

Q.4) Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP). Consider the following statements regarding Solar Power Technology:

1. Photovoltaic cells use the ultraviolet radiations to convert solar energy into electric current.
2. Semiconductors (usually silicon) are used to manufacture solar panels.
3. Concentrated Solar power use infrared radiations to heat the water and rotate turbines with the generated steam.
4. Concentrated Solar Power systems generally use a huge convex lens to concentrate energy at its focus.

Which of the above statements are correct?

a) 1 and 2

b) 3 and 4

c) 2 and 3

d) 1,2 and 3

Q.5) Wind energy has a very high potential in India. Indian government has already proposed a National Wind Mission on the lines of National Solar Mission. Which of the following statements are correct Regarding Wind energy in India?

1. In 2015-16, Indian Government fell short of achieving its target of wind energy production.
2. The installed capacity of wind power in India is more than 25000MW.
3. East and North East region of India has no grid connected wind power plant.
4. The highest wind power production in India is in Gujarat.

Select the code from the following:

a) None of the above

b) 2 and 3

c) 1 and 4

d) 1,2 and 3

Q.6) Consider the following statements regarding National Mission on Sustainable Habitats:

1. It is one of the missions under National Action Plan on Climate Change.
2. It works for the development and protection of natural habitats, especially of those species which are at the verge of extinction due to habitat loss.
3. The mission works on development of green corridors to connect protected areas of India.

Which of the above statements are incorrect?

a) 1 and 2

b) 2 and 3

c) 3 only

d) None of the above

Q.7) Carbon neutrality refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent amount sequestered or offset, or buying enough carbon credits to make up the difference. Which of the following countries are carbon neutral?

a) Denmark

b) Bhutan

c) Iceland

d) Sweden

Q.8) Buildings contribute maximum to the green house gas emissions in the world. To reduce the carbon foot print of buildings, the concept of green buildings was given. Consider the following regarding Green Buildings:

1. Green building refers to both a structure and the using of processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle.
2. GRIHA, an acronym for Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment, is the National Green Building Rating System of India.
3. GRIHA has been developed by TERI.

Which of the above statements are correct?

a) 1 and 2

b) 2 and 3

c) 1 and 3

d) All of the above

Q.9) Which of the following are the result of modern agriculture?

1. Nitrate pollution
2. Eutrophication
3. Biomagnification
4. Ozone Depletion
5. Salinisation

Select the code from the following:

a) 1,2 and 3

b) 1,2,3 and 5

c) 2,3,4 and 5

d) All of the above

Q.10) Which of the following statements correctly explains an Urban Heat Island?

a) A city or a metropolitan area, which is significantly warmer than the surrounding rural area, due to anthropogenic activities.

b) An island with sudden increase in urbanization activity, increasing its average temperature.

c) A volcanic island where people have settled due to population pressure on the mainland.

d) None of the above

Q.11) Consider the following

1. Mosses
2. Litchens
3. Microbes

Which among the above is not a pioneer species?

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2 and 3 only

c) 3 only

d) None

Q.12) A Biotic interaction in which one species is harmed and other is unaffected is

a) Competition

b) Mutualism

c) Commensalism

d) Amensalism

Q.13) Consider the following

1. Durand line – separates India and Pakistan
2. Siegfried line – separates Germany and France
3. Mannerheim line – separates Russia and Finland

Which of the above are correctly matched?

a) 1 and 3 only

b) 1 and 2 only

c) 2 and 3 only

d) All 

Q.14) Consider the following with respect to Upgrading Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts Development (USTTAD) Scheme

1. It aims for capacity building of traditional artisans and craftsman belonging to minorities community
2. The scheme is implemented by Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

Select the correct answer

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both

d) None

Q.15) Consider the following statements with respect to first Jain Council

1. It was convened at Pataliputra in 3^rd century BC by Sthalabahu
2. The first Jain council resulted in the compilation of 12 Angas

Select the correct answer

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both

d) None

Q.16) Refer the diagrams below. Which diagram best represents the average monthly temperature changes during a year for a tundra in the Northern Hemisphere?

Q.17) Where do the fungi obtain nutrients and energy?

a) The Sun

b) The primary producers only

c) The consumers only

d) All members of the community

Q.18) A lichen is best characterized as a symbiosis between which of the following?

a) A liverwort and a fungus

b) A moss and a liverwort

c) An alga and a moss

d) An alga and a fungus

Q.19) Of the following, the major cause of infant mortality worldwide is

a) starvation

b) waterborne diseases

c) toxic chemicals

d) nuclear radiation

Q.20) All of the following are likely to increase after large areas of tropical rain forests are cut down EXCEPT the

a) species diversity of the areas

b) erosion by rivers fiowing through the areas

c) rate of nutrient loss from the areas

d) average surface temperature of the soil in the areas

Q.21) Observations of lakes in areas with granitic bedrock indicate that the lakes are becoming depleted of living organisms. The primary cause is considered to be

a) nuclear waste

b) lowered water levels

c) acid rain

d) garbage dumping

Q.22) Which of the following is a true statement about the flow of energy in an ecosystem?

a) Smaller organisms need less energy per gram of body weight than do larger organisms.

b) Energy transfer between organisms normally involves conservation of heat energy.

c) Energy flow between trophic levels is inefficient.

d) Chemical energy is converted into radiant energy, which is then converted into chemical energy at the next trophic level.

Q.23) Which of the following is most likely the result of decreasing levels of ozone in the stratosphere?

a) A decrease in the levels of smog in major cities

b) A decrease in the rate of global warming

c) An increase in the occurrence of skin cancer in humans

d) An increase in photosynthetic activity of phytoplankton

Q.24) Weather events characterized by heavy rain, thunderstorms, and a sharp temperature drop followed by clearing are most likely related to which of the following?

a) The passage of a cold front

b) The passage of a warm front

c) The action of a stationary front

d) The heat island effect

Q.25) Which of the following substances is found in the runoff of chemically fertilized lawns and is most likely to cause eutrophication in streams and lakes?

a) Sodium

b) Carbonate

c) Phosphate

d) Sulfate

Q.26) Methane, a gas that can be trapped and used for energy, is most likely to be produced by which of the following?

a) Decomposition of organic materials in landfills

b) Burning of organic materials in incinerators

c) Heating of inorganic materials in a high oxygen atmosphere

d) Recycling of metals in recycling plants

Q.27) In the discussion of the nature of and solution to environmental problems, it is most important for students to understand that

a) science is constantly advancing, and technology will be developed to solve current problems

b) changes in the abiotic portion of the biosphere are self-correcting and result in evolution of the biotic portion of the biosphere

c) once pollution has been stopped, communities will revert to their preindustrial status

d) cultural, political, and economic issues must all be considered, in addition to scientific issues

Q.28) Which of the following hypotheses is LEAST amenable to verification by experimentation?

a) Using compound X to control insect pests that damage crops also reduces the population levels of pollinator insects.

b) Building a new factory in a town with high unemployment is more important than preserving the habitat the factory will destroy.

c) Applying chemical fertilizers above recommended amounts increases the concentration of inorganic nutrients in runoff.

d) Humans and chimpanzees share some of the same genes.

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IASbaba